Demands for a new province in Aceh mounts

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Takengon, Central Aceh

Demands have escalated for the formation of a new province, separate from Aceh, just days before the central government announces a new policy for the restive province.

Delegates from the five regencies of Gayo Luas, Central Aceh, Southeast Aceh, Aceh Singkil and Tamiang voiced their aspirations to unite as a new province, to be called Leuser Antara, in a dialog with visiting Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh in Takengon, Central Aceh, on Wednesday.

Also present at the dialog were Maj. Gen. M. Djali Yusuf, chief of the Iskandar Muda Military Command overseeing Aceh, Rear Admiral Leo Dumais, assistant to the Navy chief on operational affairs, Rear Marshal Wartoyo, an assistant to the Air Force chief on operational affairs and Maj. Gen. Harry Kosasih, who is an assistant to the Army chief on operational affairs.

Central Aceh Regent Mustafa Tami said the majority of people in the five regencies were demanding the new province's formation to free them from the ongoing conflict in Naggroe Aceh Darussalam.

"Pak Commander, now is the right time to release us from the continuing grievance of having supported a unitary state," he said before the military chief and local officials.

A similar call was also aired before Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a similar dialog with local officials and religious and informal leaders on Tuesday.

The new province was first proposed by the delegates of the five regencies in their meeting with Susilo in Jakarta early last month.

Susilo made a three-day visit to the region to seek input from locals before the government announces its new policy against separatism in the province on Aug. 19.

Locals said the five regencies remained neutral in the issue of separatism and would continue supporting a unitary state. They said the military should support the proposed province to help improve their welfare and to prove they are against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

Locals said their demand for a new province was based on the reasoning that the five regencies differed from others from cultural and ethnic perspectives.

Munawir Rajali, 37, a furniture businessman, said cultural aspects in the five regencies were different from those in North and East Aceh.

"We want to form a new province since GAM is trying to force the implementation of Islamic law. People in the five regencies are not serious about that," he said.

Nazaruddin, a civil servant in the Central Aceh administration, voiced his pessimism on the proposed province's ability to finance its affairs since it had no natural resources.

According to the regional autonomy law, the formation of a new province entails a long legal procedure, legislation and in-depth studies, which involve the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam administration and the central government.

Endriartono did not give a direct response to the five regencies' demand, but said all sides should stop any activities that affect the lives of Acehnese in the province.

"It would be better to utilize development funds to improve people's welfare than waste them on idle (separatist) activities," he said.

Endriartono warned GAM against using guns or violence to fight for targets, saying it would never solve the prolonged conflict.

Thousands of civilians and soldiers have been killed since GAM took up arms in 1976 to fight for the province's separation from Indonesia.